


Happy

by The_Lady_Crane



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Childhood Trauma, Comfort/Angst, Commanding Leo, Drabble, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Gay Male Character, M/M, Male Slash, Niles has a bad past, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Leo, Protectiveness, Really just Leo thinking, Shounen-ai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-12-27 01:21:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18293960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Lady_Crane/pseuds/The_Lady_Crane
Summary: Leo lies awake one night and thinks of how far he and Niles have come.Just a fluffy, slightly angsty drabble with Leo and Niles.





	Happy

**Author's Note:**

> So! I've been reading a lot of Leo/Niles fics lately, and I'm falling in love with these two. This takes place in the world of FEH, because I find it easier to justify these little scenes. Please note that I am not very good with drama. I'm a smut writer at heart, and not a very good one; my emotional drabbles are even lower quality. Nevertheless, I felt compelled to contribute to the pool of Leo/Niles fluff and angst. I just wanted to write out some feels for a change. 
> 
> Also, I call my castle Castle Gloria. I don't think the Askr castle has an official name, so that's what I call mine.

Springtime is pleasant in Askr.

It’s a pleasant country, overall. Nothing like Nohr. Though Askr is certainly no stranger to war and conflict, it is a peaceful place with bountiful natural resources and a generally content population. Or, perhaps that’s just Leo’s perception. In Askr, he’s not the one who must make all of the difficult decisions. That burden falls to Prince Alphonse and Kiran. In Askr, Prince Leo is simply another soldier in the Order of Heroes. He’s here to defend the country, and he’s never had more freedom in his life.

The days are getting warmer, with just enough of a cool breeze to prevent the sunlight from burning his face. The nights are even better – rainy, but not stormy. Leo loves to lie in bed and listen to the drizzle falling on the rooftops and parapets outside. The patter on the beveled glass of the windows creates a soothing harmony. In the morning, everything is fresh and new, with no trace of the rainclouds in the sky and with the sun quickly drying up all evidence of the night’s deluge.

Times like these are precious to Leo, who has scarcely known peace in his twenty-three years of life. The room he’s been given within Castle Gloria’s guest wing isn’t as ostentatious as his chambers in Castle Krakenburg, but it’s far more comfortable. The bed is plush, without being too smothering. The draperies are a rich red to match the carpet. Dark wooden furniture gleams in the glow of a lantern by the bed. A fireplace crackles with warmth, warding off the chill of an early spring night.

Most importantly, Niles is there by his side.

In Askr, they can walk hand-in-hand and nobody bats an eye. Nobody questions them. Nobody pressures Leo to seek a wife, to produce an heir. Nobody talks down to Niles, or fixes him with a judgmental stare that speaks volumes about their opinion of his keeping company with their prince. In Askr, they’re just two more heroes among many, and they’re free to do more or less as they please.

Leo takes a moment to really look at his sleeping lover. Since coming here, Niles has slept more peacefully and more often than ever before. He’s lying on his side, curled up against Leo’s chest, his eyepatch buried in the pillow and his good eye turned towards Leo. The prince can see that he’s dreaming, from the slight twitching just beneath the eyelid. Pleasant dreams, he thinks, and gently brushes aside platinum bangs.

Rain usually brings out the nightmares. In Askr, it seems to have the opposite effect. Niles doesn’t dream of cold, wet nights spent on the streets. He doesn’t feel the bone-chilling horror of not knowing what’s lurking in the shadows, waiting to use the sound of the rain as cover for a silent attack. Leo doesn’t know what it is his retainer is dreaming now, but it seems like a nice scenario. His face is untroubled.

_Leo wakes up when Niles does, and he’s immediately on guard. It takes him a moment to realize that they’re not under attack, but the shout that had pulled him from sleep wasn’t a mere dream. He can hear Niles’ heavy breathing in the darkness next to him._

_“What’s wrong?” Leo sits up, staring blearily through the gloom. Niles’ panting breaths stop, but Leo can feel him trembling. He frowns._

_“Nothing, Milord,” Niles says. It’s obvious that he’s employing all of his willpower to keep his voice even. “I merely thought I heard an intruder.”_

_“Intruder, my arse,” Leo grumbles. He shifts so he can pull Niles to him, but the former thief resists. “Niles, why did you scream?”_

_Niles stills, allowing Leo to finally get him into an embrace. “You must have dreamed it,” he says after a moment of heavy silence._

_“It was no dream – at least, not my dream.” Leo’s eyes narrow. “Were you having a nightmare?”_

_“I don’t recall shouting, Milord.”_

_“Niles…” It’s a somewhat harsh and warning tone, but Leo knows that Niles will respond to nothing less._

_Niles swallows thickly, forces his knees to stop shaking. “I- Yes. I was only dreaming. I’m sorry for waking you.”_

_“What do you recall?” Leo ignores the apology, and brushes his fingers through Niles’ hair. Niles shivers from the touch, and leans into him, burying his face in his lord’s chest._

_“Nothing that I care to repeat.”_

_“Even to me?”_

_He hesitates. “I… don’t fully remember. Only flashes, here and there. Someone… Someone was hurting me.”_

_In the dark of the night, there’s no saucy banter. There’s no teasing pretense. Niles is scared, and he’s ashamed of himself. He shouldn’t be so weak. He has a duty to his lord._

_“It won’t happen again.” Leo says softly, his grip around Niles’ shoulders tightening somewhat. “I won’t allow it. You’re mine, Niles. Do you understand?”_

_“L- Leo?”_

_Their gazes meet, gleaming in the faint light from the dying fire. Leo tilts Niles’ chin upward, employing the gesture that Niles is so fond of using on him. This reversal of their roles takes Niles by surprise. “I don’t allow others to touch what’s mine. As long as you’re in my service, nobody will hurt you. Not without painful retribution.”_

_A tremor wracks Niles’ body momentarily. He nods, and accepts Leo’s kiss._

In a way, Leo feels that Niles has been as good for him as he has been for Niles. Leo was raised without much love. What affection he did receive from his siblings was overshadowed by his mother’s callous usage of him. He was a pawn, and nothing more. He was a tool to be used and honed. Once he’d been freed from his mother’s grip, he’d become a tool of the court, meant for battle and for political decisions. Kindness was simply nonexistent in his world, for the most part.

Then, he’d met Niles. The thief had intrigued him. What could drive a person to beg for death? Even if it had been a precarious situation, wasn’t the natural instinct to ask for mercy? But Niles hadn’t even tried. He’d stood there, caught red-handed and abandoned by his so-called friends, and he’d simply asked for a swift death. Leo had been taken aback by the sincerity in that blue eye. He was so broken, so hopeless; how could Leo have allowed such a fascinating creature to slip away from him?

Even at a young age, Leo felt keenly the heft of his power. He wasn’t proud, merely realistic, and he knew that he was a force to be reckoned with. That was how he’d been trained, after all. He had been taught to kill, to crush, to dispose of his enemies without a second thought. But taking Niles into his employ was a first for him. Never in his life had he shown mercy to anyone.

As they’d grown to know and trust each other, it was obvious that Niles had also been starved of affection. While he presented with an air of nonchalance and flippancy that bordered on cruelty, there were signs that it was a cover for his true self. Once Leo got to know him better, he learned that Niles was really quite self-effacing. He knew he was a good archer and a good thief, but beyond that, he felt that he wasn’t someone worthy of attention.

Leo wanted to change that.

_“You’re beautiful, you know that?”_

_Niles looks up from his bow, a bewildered expression on his face. He blinks, and then arranges his features into a carefully-crafted mask of lecherousness. “Oh, how I’ve longed to hear you say that, Milord! But really, when speaking of beautiful things, you need only look into a mirror. And while you’re at it, I’ll take in a view of the back side…”_

_“I mean it,” Leo says, determined not to become flustered by Niles’ teasing. “You are beautiful.”_

_Niles’ expression falters. “Really, now, have you taken leave of your senses? What’s brought this on so suddenly?”_

_“I was watching you string your bow.” Leo stands from his chair, setting the book down on the table. “You move with such grace.”_

_“I could hardly call myself a competent archer if I were lacking in grace.” Niles turns back to his task._

_“Must I command you to take a compliment when you hear one?” Leo says._

_“I suppose you must,” Niles replies without looking up._

_“Niles…” Leo leans down so he’s at eye-level with his lover. “You need to accept it when I say something about you. You’re beautiful, and you’re clever, and I love you.”_

_“Stop it!”_

_Leo is taken aback. Niles has never spoken to him so sharply. Niles seems to realize what he’s done, because before Leo can reply, he’s kneeling at his feet, the bow thrown aside from his lap._

_“Forgive me, my lord,” he murmurs, his head bowed low._

_“Get up.” Leo pulls Niles to his feet. “If you wish to apologize, then tell me why you behave like this whenever I say anything nice about you.”_

_Niles refuses to meet Leo’s eyes. “I- I don’t know.”_

_“You’re not used to it,” Leo says, cupping Niles’ face in his hand. “But you’re going to hear it. I don’t know what I would do without you, Niles. I’ve come to care more for you than I’ve cared for anyone else._

_Far from taking comfort from the words, Niles seems to grow distraught. He tries to turn away, but Leo grips his chin, forcing him to look at him. There are tears gathered in his eye. “From now on, you are forbidden to say anything bad about yourself. You are forbidden to contradict me when I praise you. You will accept my words without question. Do you understand?”_

_Niles’ eye shifts around for a moment, and it seems almost like he’s looking for a way to escape. Then he relaxes, his gaze fixes onto Leo’s, and he nods. “Yes, Milord.”_

_“Yes, what?”_

_“Yes… Leo.”_

It’s a fine line that they walk. In order to give Niles the freedom to accept himself, Leo must keep him firmly in line. Sometimes, it makes him feel like an ass. But that’s the only way Niles can let go of his insecurities. Leo makes him feel safe, and part of safety is having boundaries. He had grown up entirely without boundaries, and yet trapped in bondage to a life of desperation. Now that he’s bound to serve his lord, he is free to enjoy life. It’s something that he can’t handle, and Leo knows that Niles needs these restrictions in order to feel secure.

It helps Leo, as well. He’s always felt responsible for others, but never has he felt responsible for their happiness. He feels like the owner of a rescued puppy; he’s learning how to treat his charge kindly, while Niles is learning how to accept kindness.

“Leo?”

The prince realizes that Niles is awake, looking up at him with a half-hooded eye and a drowsy expression. Leo smiles, brushing his bangs aside again. “Did I wake you?”

“No… I was dreaming.”

“Oh?” A slight frown creases Leo’s brow. It had seemed like he was sleeping just fine.

“You and I were on the beach,” Niles says softly, closing his eye and leaning into Leo’s touch. “It was nice.”

Relief floods Leo’s chest, and he hadn’t even been aware of how tense he’d become. “I’m glad. Why don’t you return to that beach, then? Go back to sleep.”

“Why are you awake?”

“I was listening to the rain.” Not exactly a lie. “And watching you sleep.” Much closer to the truth.

“Oh? And does the sight of my sleeping face please you?” Niles smirks. “Perhaps my prince is a bit of a creep who likes to watch people when they’re vulnerable.”

“Your prince simply loves watching his retainer at peace.”

Niles looks like he wants to say something, but he holds back. “As you wish, then, Lord Leo.”

There was a time when Niles would have remained awake. He wouldn’t have been comfortable with Leo being awake while he slept. It wasn’t a sign of mistrust, only fear of seeming weak. How things have changed, Leo muses, a smile still on his face.

The rain soon fades, and the soft crackling of the fire is left. Leo waves his hand to dim the oil lamp with a flicker of magic. The shadows lengthen, until they’re shrouded in a comfortable gloom. He’s not too concerned with getting enough sleep. Tonight, he wants to enjoy the feeling of Niles’ weight against his side. He hums a dissonant tune in his head, and pets Niles’ hair, and thinks of all of the things they’ve been through together. He thinks of the day ahead, when he’ll get to walk the castle grounds with his lover. And he is happy.


End file.
